


Something Good This Way Comes

by the_bees_tales9229



Category: Devil May Cry, DmC: Devil May Cry
Genre: Crossover, Crossover right, F/M, I know!, Investigation, My little side project, Post-Devil May Cry 5, Post-DmC: Devil May Cry, Romance, Slice of Life, Supernatural - Freeform, Yes ROMANCE!!!, glamping, non-canon, yes - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:35:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23324080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_bees_tales9229/pseuds/the_bees_tales9229
Summary: Dante, on his own, has decided to check out the last scene of the curse: a glamping site in Capulet City. Kat has been contacted to help out a friend, leading to a partnership with a southern Belle and them finding out the consequences of that glamping party. (Re-edited summary)
Relationships: Dante (DmC)/Nico
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	1. Acquaintanceship

**Author's Note:**

> Writer Note: This is our ‘little break side project’, in collaboration with Gregster_Lord_erotico. He only has a Fanfic.net account and will post his own here soon. This is highly non-canon, not even in tandem to our headcanon of our DmC fanfic project. Also, Dante of DmC here is, I consider, OOC since this is set in a far-flung future when he’s finally in a good place and coping well with his past trauma. He’s just moved on, is how he’s depicted here. Lastly, can I just say how the women in Devil May Cry are always so good, like they should have an entire game spin-off all for themselves!

Chapter One: Acquaintanceship

The afternoon scenery is breathtaking; the long road is framed by tall trees finally growing back leaves for spring. The lush greenery across the lowland valleys are abloom with flowers and the sound of birds and bugs chirping and zipping along. It had been a good idea to use a cruiser bike, since it has great storage space for an overnight backpacker and was still a long ride from the urbanscape of Capulet City to his destination.

He had stopped the bike on the side, deciding that, while there is still very little traffic, he can snap a photo for Kat to see this place. And as evidence that he did _do this_ after all. Not that there was any doubt, but Kat had insisted they would’ve gone together. But she was busy with the new arrangements in the antique store _and_ the new tutoring agency they’re under, so it was up to him. This was no ordinary sightseeing, after all. He could say he’s ‘scouting’ for possible future gigs outside the city and boost their reputation through word-of-mouth among suburban locals…

_Ah, maybe. First things first…_

Getting onto the bike once again, he passes by a small idyllic neighborhood, as picturesque as those Kinkade paintings before finally seeing the sign that points out he’s only a few meters from the destination’s own entry path that forks from the main road. A modest parking area is stationed between the woodlands and a set of other tourist attraction buildings. The place he needs to get to restricts vehicular traffic and employs golf carts and minibuses for disabled and other people who have gotten weary from activities. Parking his bike for an overnight fee, he heads to one of the offices to pay for his reservation.

“Welcome to GlampHeight,” the employee greets and he asks about his reserved accommodation, which the employee manages to bring up and reveals the overnight staying fee. “215 bucks, sir.”

“Alright…”

The employee further elaborates, “The cabin is a spacious multi-bedroom cabin. There’s someone already waiting by the same lodging.”

“Thanks.” He needn’t have to be told; there were scant details regarding his ‘client’...well, he can’t really call this woman a client at all. This whole thing was a kind favor being done.

Handing him the key to the lodging, he tells him that a pile of firewood has been placed on the side of the cabin he’s staying and that an assistant is available around the clock, should he need help. “Your checkout is the same time today, 3 pm tomorrow. Please do not lose the key. Please enjoy your stay.”  
Walking was _encouraged_ to get there, but he didn’t mind. He was able to get a flyer of the lodging and, while he walked with his belongings slung on his back, read the information the rest of the way. Their activities are certainly interesting, ranging from outdoor ones to things that should be considered city folks like him can do at home anyway, but they do have, like baking…

He reserved a sharing cabin for six people, but from what had been arranged, there’s going to be just two people waiting for him there. He does find that the cabin—quaint, all wood and provided outdoor furniture—is already occupied by a singular person, a woman. Looks like the investigation will go smoothly.

His presence is no surprise and the woman, whose back was facing him, turned to meet him, her bespectacled, curly-haired figure a sight he is _truly_ enjoying. She didn’t let his small grin fly by, her eyes traveling across his expanse and...slyly represses a chuckle.

“Howdy,” she greets, extending her hand. “Call me Nico. I’m sure our mutual friends ‘ave told us who we are.”

“Right.” He says as he takes her hand. “To business, then.”

“Yep.” She agrees, turning to lead the way. “It’s actually just gonna be the two o’ us. My... _associate_ decided to flake last minute when he thought this whole thang is too small fry for him.”

Opening the cabin’s front door, the cabin’s modesty and woodsy aesthetic reveals the fact that it’s basically a modern house with modern amenities, with some provided outdoor paraphernalia, such as those furniture and a wheeled grilling station. It’s ironic, for him, to the reason for camping, but it’s not something he should ponder about. After all, people in the woods created a village by making shelter and objects to use.

“That’s too bad,” he tells her. “I think it would’ve helped with his input.” From what he knew, Nico’s associate—a demon hunter (he rolled his eyes)—has been a former member of a devout and holy cult, native on an island somewhere in the east coast...or was it west? No matter; his expertise would’ve been helpful.

“Nah! We don’t need ‘im!” Nico exclaims as she makes her way around the lodging’s interior and to the hall featuring four rooms, inspecting each and every nook and cranny. “I have ev’rything wi’ me! All the notes and stuff, plus I was told you can do magic!”

He chuckles. “Haha, sorry, that’s my associate’s expertise. But she left me something to help with that.”

“Hmp!” She turns to him with a beaming face. “So we _both_ don’t got nobody who does the actual thang, but we here anyway!”

“On her defense,” he adds. “She’s gotten busy with her business and being my manager, so there’s that.”

“Alright, then.” She tells him, finalizing that topic.

He decides to take a good look around their area, since she’s busy doing that while she unpacked her belongings. There are two bedrooms and two bathrooms, which he surmised can help separate men and women. The bedrooms provided three beds, although the other bedroom provided a bunk bed instead of standard ones, in case, perhaps there are kids...or men who are competing for the top spot.

It doesn’t surprise him when Nico does take the top bunk. Turning around to him, she extends her arm and points to the other bedroom. “We ain’t sharing the space, soft boy.”

Without a word, he leaves her be and, trotting to the living area, picked the foldable sofa instead as his bed and laid out his backpack on it before dropping unto its cushiony surface. He does find this slow-paced affair quite relaxing; he rolls his eyes to that. _Only a matter of time something escalates._ Whipping out his smartphone, he takes a snap of the living area and sends them to Kat.

“I don’t get ‘glamping’.”

“Glamping is a portmanteau of the words glamorous and camping. The term itself is new, but the idea is not. Nobility from ancient times, military and political campaigns have been known to have luxurious and lavish tent-living lifestyles and even great maintenance of their expensive marquees.”

“...now I get it (inserting diamond and money bag emoticons)”

“Anyway, did you just arrive?”

“Yep. Ms. Goldstein’s on her own, tho.”

“Is that bad? I think you two can handle this mess.”

“You could’ve gone with. You need a vacation.”

“Don’t remind me.”

“Ok. Off to start the investigation.”

“Remain professional! No touchy-touchy!”

“You’re the one bringing it up tho…”

“I’m counting on you.”

“It’ll be smooth sailing.”

“Okay. Let me know what you find.”

Putting back his phone, he hears Nico approaching the living area, her hands on her hips and looking excited. “You ready, soft boy?”

“Only if you’ve already anti-mosquito sprayed your cute midriff.” He tells her as he stands up from the foldable sofa. He didn’t dare miss the dry scowl across her face as she goes back inside her bedroom. So, what if he put her off? If she was going to insist on not calling him by his _name_ , then so be it. He can keep it up.


	2. GlampHeight Trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I re-edited the main summary of this story. Anyway, I might get this done in just two chapters more. It's just a quick, non-heavy lore kind of story.

Chapter Two: GlampHeight Trouble

He heard Nico exit her bedroom and, without saying any word, waited for him. He gets it that the exchange they had had slightly soured their impressions on one another. He figures she can wait; for now, he needs to get things ready. He pulls out from under his shirt a simple necklace: bound on a thread was a small, dark brown topaz and carved on its surface are various runes; some are recognizably ancient Nordic letters, whilst others are symbols unidentified. From under his shirt lay another necklace, a ruby-colored pendant, but this one is personal.

“Alright…” He lifts the topaz gem and inspects it closely. “I hope Kat’s magic works…”

He doesn’t doubt her skills. He does, however, doubt if he’ll be able to work it. At first, the topaz looks normal, reflecting dully the light rays that pass through its rough surface.

But he saw a flicker across the living room…

_ “...hey I thought this was your arena, get those drinks for later tonight!” _

_ “What? No, not now. I’ve decided to go with Martin and Lisa. Go do some outdoorsy stuff for once.” _

He can see two apparitions, hovering in front of him, translucent and fading, but their voices are clear. It’s working!

“Mind fillin’ me in, soft boy?” Nico finally asks, her arms crossed. She looks impatient, but he can tell she was just masking her worry and—from the way her eyes twinkle—curiosity.

The topaz, imbued with a Retrocognitive spell, is allowing him a glimpse of the past, but specifically, through the experiences of eight people, one of which is a friend of a friend of Kat’s, who notes that one of her girl friends has fallen inexplicably ill. She had been doing odd behaviors recently and even reported, together with her new boyfriend, of having sighted ghostly apparitions on a newly-built apartment they live in, before she fell ill and confined in a hospital. Their mutual friends had confided to different experts: one to Kat, who did become concerned, decided to give this an investigation, hopefully to erase any suspicion that a supernatural malady was placed on her friend; the other, on the Devil May Cry agency, hence to Nico, hoping to expel any demonic presence responsible.

“It’s a magical item that allows me to see the past.” He explains briefly as he continues to look around the room with the topaz held up. “Although all I’m seeing are a lot of drama and semi-nude people…”

Nico guffawed, clutching her stomach. He found himself turning around to look at her happy face and he grinned back. “Ah, yeah! Hahahaha! Bet ya seeing some wet willies across  _ that sofa _ ! Sure ya stayin’ there to sleep?”

He simply shrugs his shoulders as she pulls out from her sling bag her notebook. “Alrigh’ alrigh’, jokes aside...I got here some notes! Let’s see…”

She flips on the pages and scans for the right passage while she explains. “Okay, from what I gathered, before Elza got sick...and from the activities they’ve supposedly done that time, according to her boyfriend’s testimonies…”

“You sure they remember everything?” He asks, twiddling with the thread of the topaz. “You can just peer through this thing, find out for yourself…”

“Ooh! Gimme, gimme!” Nico approaches with enthusiasm as he presents the gem to her. “Can I wear it? You were wearin’ it!”

“Alright, hold still…”

He had come around her and placed the gem on her front, about to place the thread through her curly crown of hair, when she whispered, “Hey…”

She had slightly turned her face to show her seriousness.

A bit perplexed, he replies, “Uh, yeah?”

Pushing her glasses, she says, “Don’t get no ideas about  _ us  _ getting sweet and all.”

He smirks as he finally rests the necklace through her head and gently lifts her hair out of the way for it to rest on the back of her neck. It’s only when he’s done and when she fully whirls to face him does he, in his imitation of her unique twang, quip, “I haven’t the  _ slightest  _ of that cross my mind, so don’t you worry, Ms. Goldstein.”

This mocking grin Nico is giving him doesn’t feel as heated or guilt-tripping as she had wanted. He can see the red across her tan skin as she tried to look intimidating, while he sweetly smiled at her. Not wanting to rub any more sugar, he instead points out, “Lead the way.”

With a huff, she does so. At first, Nico remained silent, but the amazed sound she makes when she walks around the whole cabin, she’s finally dropped their issue and is definitely Retracing. Trailing behind her, they follow all the footsteps and activities of any of the eight people that had been here; she references her notebook whenever a scheduled event happens.

After pointing at a passage, she’d say, “Yep! Just like what he said, they got delivered with some food from that restaurant after Elza felt sick from their own cooking!” She expounds as they stare out through the living area’s window. He doesn’t see  _ anything,  _ of course, but bending down, a remnant of the topaz’s magic gives him a view of the past…

It does seem that a few of them had met the same desk clerk from the site’s front, the same guy who handed him the keys to this cabin. A pretty woman hands the clerk a bill of money, tipping him, before he thanks them and leaves, with the delivered food inside a huge paper bag.

“Oh shit, oh shit!” Nico expresses anxiously, bumping against him as she follows the event unfold. “Oh  _ god,  _ Elza…”

He follows her to the sofa and gets a glimpse of another woman, sprawled across the sofa, her skin pallid and moaning in pain. This is Elza, now in a hospital. The two of them watch as her boyfriend and their friends try to feed her any food they bought. A puke bucket is placed nearby; it must’ve smelled awful…

But  _ someone  _ caught his eye, at the kitchen’s corner…

“No. Okay...time out.” Nico had looked away and coughed, doubling over and clutching her knees. “I wasn’t able to see her in the hospital. Thought’t could just be some weird flu...I guess I know why she’s in intensive care.”

He sympathized, he really did. But this isn’t the right time. “Nico.”

He placed a firm hand on her shoulder, trying to pull her upright. She looked up at him, misty-eyed and scowling at what she had seen of her friend. “We’re here. The culprit and how we’re gonna end this, it’s all right here.”

Sniffing back tears, she quickly regains her composure and pulls her glasses off her face. “You’re righ’...” She wipes away the tears and brings her glasses back to her face. “Okay.”

“Good.” He says reassuringly. “‘Cause I saw someone at that same event in the kitchen area. I wanna check it out.”

Nodding, Nico leads them there and sees the woman who tipped the clerk clean up the counter and restocked their refridgerator. Nico reveals her name to be Moira. “She’s such the usual  _ classy  _ person, y’know. She picked this place as their hangout.”

He felt suspicious; the way she hurriedly moved about the counter and stowed away a cleaver in a  _ freezer _ . He drops it, however, as Nico decides to focus on another timeline.

She wanted to see Elza well, back before the day of her sickness. As shown by the topaz, she used to be a bright and beautiful woman, ecstatic to go shopping with her boyfriend and wanted Moira to come along.

_ “I don’t want to go with Eugene again! Please, Moira, come with! He needs to learn about style and practicality without sacrificing either one! Oh please!” _

Moira, beautiful as well but in a more refined way. Her tone is pleasant, but her demeanour evoked an aloof attitude. He was beginning to suspect…

_ “Sorry, I’m on a mission to get a good, even tan. I wanna try golfing this time. We’ll have fun later, Elza, at the Bake Off!” She didn’t even let Elza finish as she went back to her room. _

_ “Oh okay! Well, see ya!” Masking her disappointment, she went outside to see Eugene... _

“You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?” Nico asks, looking up at him.

“Let’s go follow Moira.” He says with a nod.

They decided to focus on her, following her every movement (though, he looked away whenever she was dressing up in the bedroom), even going back and forth across the timeline, and had found that she was doing something odd on the kitchen’s counter, proving his suspicion!

“This was before their own cooked meal!” Nico exclaims as they observed her.

They watched her pull out from a freezer a batch of meat, a cleaver, a knife, a tray and a bowl. Cleaving a few of the raw meat carefully, she began to debone a few meats and, with a knife, started carefully carving symbols on the bones she procured. Their eyes widened!

“You  _ bitch! _ ” Nico’s wrath was palpable from the hard ‘b’ of the word. “God! Was it because Eugene said no to you?! And where d’you learn this stuff?!”

While she cussed, he’s engrossed with the symbols Moira is carving.

_ That’s the rune ‘kaun’ from the Old Norse alphabet… _

So Moira was the culprit! But still, Kat would need to make a draught to counteract the malady before it finally reaches its end goal. And to do that, he’d need to find any of the ingredients she used, even with leftovers,  _ anything.  _ She was hoping for just a draught; because if he can’t find any, Kat would have to take drastic measures and they don’t think the medical practitioners would like that happening on their actual patient while on the hospital bed!

_ Hang on, Elza. _

“Hey! Any idea what she’s doin’?” Nico’s aggravated face turns to him, teary-eyed still. But he feels as if they’re from anger. “Is this some ritual-magic shit or what?!”

“No doubt,” he affirms. “What kind, I can’t tell yet. We need more evidence.”

There was no doubt those meat bones are long gone, into the trash to become compost. But if Moira is doing a very dangerous curse, it’ll have to be more than just using bones.

Clapping her hands thunderously, Nico is more than determined to stalk Moira’s past. “Fine! Let’s jus’ keep collectin’ more of that shit you were doin’ this  _ whole time,  _ Moira!”

Putting the topaz’s power to good use, they rewind and replay all the suspicious activities Moira has committed around the cabin. In their particular early timeline, they find that the eight friends have thrown a drunken party to celebrate the first day of the vacation. At a particular hour, they follow Moira as she assists Elza to bed, piss drunk and sleepy. From Moira’s pockets, she pulled out a sharp pin and a small vial; with the pin, she pricked Elza’s finger and patiently collected a few drops of blood.

He hissed, “Fuck. Moira would have that vial with her or thrown away…”

More frustrated, Nico gestures with her arm at the whole situation. “Ya know I can track her! Find that vial for ya and what not! Even wring out a confession!”

He shook his head as he looked at Nico, then back at Moira still collecting the little drops from Elza’s finger. “Elza has no time left.”

Nico growled in anger. “Oh GOD! No! I should’ve...If I had known!”

“Her boyfriend and another mutual were the only ones who came to us,” he clarified. “They became desperate. We’re Elza’s last shot.”

Moira stood up and corked the vial, finding the contents to her satisfaction. Nico keeps murmuring insults and promises as they watch her pull out a large bag from under her bed and see her place the vial of blood inside it. They fast forward, finding Moira deboning and carving the bones of the meat; then finding out she had been cooking alongside Elza and another friend for their outdoor barbecue.

“She’s  _ poisoned  _ some of those!” Nico cries as they watch helplessly as Elza's plate gets filled with specific meats Moira had  _ ‘prepared’  _ for her.

On the night of Elza’s first symptom, they follow her again, taking with her the large bag and locking herself inside the bathroom this time.

She rummages in it, as if ensuring all the items she needed are inside, and fishes out a ziplock bag containing a hair tie and a few strands of hair, two vials containing blood, a small stone and a plastic bottle containing an unknown, dark liquid.

The two of them silently observe Moira, mesmerized at the process; he watched her take out the hair tie and simply wrapped it around the stone, which also contained a carving on its surface. Uncorking the vials of blood, she poured the contents on the stone’s surface, with the carved rune facing up, drinking the crimson liquid on its surface; finally, she unscrews the plastic bottle and pours the content. The liquid splashes the carved letter and its surface begins sizzling, as if acid was being poured on top of it. He sees Moira scrunching her face, as if something foul smelling offended her.

Something clicks inside his head…

“That weird liquid...that could be Elza’s puke...and the cursed bones she turned  _ mush _ .”

Nico makes a gagging sound. “ _ Bleurgh!  _ God, this is  _ sickenin’! _ ”

She swayed on her spot and so he held her by her shoulders as she kept moaning and shaking her head in disgust. They watched the cursed stone  _ absorb  _ all the contents into its cold surface, enabling the curse to become more effective...and deadly.

Satisfied, Moira had done it, she began murmuring words under her breath, chanting the spell as she quickly unlocked the door, her large bag on her shoulder and the cursed stone in hand, and went outside, carefully tiptoeing her way through.

They followed her and saw how she lit a campfire, fueling the flames further with the unknown liquid. A burst of blue flames sprouted from the firewood and she immediately tossed the stone on its flames, all the while she chanted words they can’t understand.

He looked closely at the flames.  _ The stone! Did she take it with her? _

She remains on the spot as Moira watched the fire begin to decrease its intensity, still chanting.

“Whatdya lookin’ for?” Nico asks him, holding her breath. She can tell he’s onto something.

“The stone she used.” He answers. “We might use that to counteract what she did.”

“Okay…” Willing the topaz to see what she did after, the whole event fast-forwards; it turns out she had left the spot the moment the fire became embers, exhausted. He steps away from his spot near Nico, coming back to the present, and begins to look at the campfire site, trying to locate that stone…

Relief washes over him.  _ Gotcha. _

It had been left as it is, amongst the other ordinary stones, camouflaged. Yet there’s no mistaking the fading stench of puke and the putrid burning smell. He held the stone in his hand, peering at the fading cursed rune triumphantly.

Another disgusted sound comes from Nico. “Oh God, to think we were just standing there! It’s actually beginning to smell.”

He gives her an assuring grin. “I’ll take this away after a picture, don’t worry.”

He takes a photo snap of the stone and sends it to Kat. He does his best to explain what he saw so she can figure out what kind of curse Moira did. Not wanting to linger with the stone in his hand, he wills the stone  _ ‘inside’  _ his pocket dimension, disappearing from his hand and sighs with relief.

“Great job, Nico.” He says before opening his hand for her to return the topaz.

“Whoa!” She cries, pointing at him, looking gleeful. “You can do magic!” Then she takes a deep whiff of the fresh forest air and exhales joyously. “Ahh! The  _ smell’s  _ gone, too! Mission accomplished, Dante!”

She turns pink, however, realizing that she  _ finally  _ said his name. Being a sport, he gives her his hand for her to shake. “You too, Nico.”

Simpering, she responds happily as she shakes his hand. “Y’know, we have a spot for someone like ya! Need someone with a fresh perspective on demon huntin’! Whaddya say?!”

He actually finds this  _ ridiculous _ . But how can he paraphrase to her how he’s moved on from that, had found a calling on making music, even educating anyone interested through the tutoring agency he’s been hired in and is co-working under a ‘special’ business and field in locating ancient magical items with his band manager and antique specialist, his best friend, Kat?

“C’mon! Say yes!”

He scrunches his face, unable to give her a straight answer. “I’ll...talk to my manager.”

“You mean Kat?” Nico asks, looking more ecstatic. “Asked the same question, I’m sure she’ll come around, too.”

He chuckles at that. As they let go, his phone rings. “Speak of the devil…”

He answers and is immediately met with a panicking Kat!

“Whoa, Kat! What’s going on...huh?”

He should’ve noticed the growing shadow behind him, or the way Nico was staring at something  _ incredibly tall _ growing behind him and the way she’s struggling to answer him as she pointed upwards, over his head.

Kat’s shrill voice, warning him too late, keeps going on and on about the deadly curse, the cursed letter and its  _ security  _ if anyone intended to remove it! His only response:

“Yeah, Kat, I’m gonna have to call you back, let you  _ know… _ ”

He turns around to come face-to-face with a tall, grey humanoid figure with the most deathly-blank stare as it ogled down at him, its stench wearing its body like the tendrils of oozing, tar-like substance dripping down its body and covering its nether regions like a wet loin cloth. On its forehead is the cursed alphabet.

“... _ how _ it’s gonna be resolved. Bye.”

Hanging up, he manages to pocket his phone in the pocket dimension instead of the pocket of his pants, because the first thing  _ it did _ was stomp on him!

“Oh fuck, fuck, fuck!” Nico panics as she takes cover towards the forest.

The creature does go after her, stepping over Dante like he’s nothing! She shrieks fearfully and begins picking up stones and throwing them at the monster!

But it pauses at the spot as it felt something! Its body begins yanking backwards and it looks behind, realizing Dante has summoned a heavy chain from his pocket dimension and, with his strength,  _ reels  _ the monster back. It stumbles painfully backwards, but it rolls on the ground and pushes its body upright, leering at him!

He thinks how it’s been a while, a long  _ while _ , since he had taken on a supernatural creature. The muscles of when he had used them against hellish and heavenly foes is coming back to him in flashes.

But he thinks... _ I need a drink.  _


	3. The Lucky Campers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics below from the song 'Happy Camper' by Summer Salt - https://summersaltband.bandcamp.com/album/happy-camper-3

Chapter Three: The Lucky Campers

It pounded its fist on the grassy ground, cracking the spot where Dante had stood a mere second ago! Rolling away and immediately taking a stance, he wills the handle of his blade to appear from the pocket dimension, so blindingly bright this creature—a Wight of some sort—pulls back from another attack to shield its eyes.

“Whoa…” Nico murmurs from behind the tree, as she watches _this Dante_ summon his sword and vaulted from the ground to slash away at its tendrilled face, with every hit and strike from his silvery claymore earning them an agonized groan from the monster. She becomes ecstatic! “Yeah! Pump that ugly fucker tha’ combos! YEAH!”

He swings his old sword to maintain that midair momentum, the bright silvery streaks leaves behind gashes upon gashes against the monster’s face, making it bleed its tar-black blood! He saw that itch from the monster’s hand and stepped on its nose before it could grab him in the air! Trotting all over its putrid-gray face, he hops on its forehead and delivers a deep plunging strike from his sword, the sickening juice of one its eyeballs rupturing to reveal its colorful contents! The painful, angry howl from the gray Wight has it automatically swinging for its face and before its giant palms could engulf him, he vaults off its face and gracefully lands on the ground.

Turning back, the creature is busy reeling from agony and being half blind, until it swipes at its own face and _throws_ what was left of its eye on the ground with a sickening wet sound! The Wight’s angered face leered at him and the glow of that accursed alphabet on its forehead dared him to attack!

A lightbulb moment!

“Of course…” he murmured to himself as he summoned his sword on his left hand once again!

This time, the Wight went for the aggressive attack, lunging forward in a hop and whipping its many dripping tendrils around its radius to hit him! He realized he had been slow when he rolled and one tendril latched onto his back! A searing sound of smoke and acid sizzles through his clothes and onto his skin, and he yowls in pain! He admits to himself it’s been a while since he had been in pain like this! Or fought a very malevolent creature like this!

_Man, ‘should’ve warmed up…_

Five massive claws are met by his claymore, defending his head and swatting them away! The creature is more riled up now, giving everything it can do at him to release the cursed stone from his pocket dimension! He parries each claw, rolls away at every whip of its dark, acidic tendril and manages to cut at its wrist during its tantrum-like fist-pounding, reeling backward and yelping like a hundred rabid animals all at once!

He hears Nico cheering him on, even making suggestions, like, “Hail tha’ fucker with bullets, ya hear!” or “Go for the head! The head!”

He’s amused that she’s getting hyper-energetic about this and rolls his eyes. The Wight, after recovering from that one cut on its wrist, went pugilistically insane as it rapidly hailed down its claws at every spot he stands on! He has to end this now!

He vaults from another spot once again, this time aiming the sword for his forehead! He didn’t care that the acidic tendrils covered his face, he is going to _plunge_ this blade and end—!

An upward punch from the creature sends him flying off and tumbling on the ground! Another earthshaking hop, Dante _rolls_ out of the way before its two fists could pummel him six feet down!

“That’s it!” He snarled, summoning that long silvery chain from his left hand, its own gripping claw sinking on its right arm! Before it can shriek in pain and shock, Dante yanks the chain and the creature’s face goes head first to the ground! Willing the chain to disappear, he replaces it with his sword once again and slashes at the fringe of acidic tendrils! He didn’t care that pieces of it sprayed at his face and clothes! He was going to reveal that forehead!

The Wight got up before he could plunge the sword but it didn’t matter; the target’s clear as day!

“YES, YES, YES, YES!!!” Nico was screaming at the top of her lungs as she watched with bated breath the monster hopping back and prowling at the other end of the camp site, before leaping at its prey, at Dante! She gasps as she can only watch him spring backward and lift his sword—!

There was only the heavy squelch and the ground giving way into dust as the Wight successfully ends the fight with Dante underneath its body! Nico couldn’t believe it…

“No.” She runs to them, not caring at all that the creature will move again—

The Wight lifts its shoulders as Nico screeches to a halt and falls backwards. Pushing itself up, she observes the Wight struggle as the head bobbed up from the ground and turned to look at her.

“Oh, _fuck…_ ”

The Wight’s face is cracking in the middle as _Dante’s entire body_ is embedded on its forehead, the tip of his silvery claymore jutting out at the crown instead; the cursed alphabet on its forehead is split along with its destroyed face, breaking its source of power! The tar-black blood oozed out of its head and the last vestige of its life fades from its dying expression as it limply falls back down, leaving Dante to struggle around its exposed cranium and still acidic tendrils, clinging on the last melting patches of his clothes and supernatural skin.

He hissed painfully. “Th-that...that was a bad idea... _oooohh, god, it stings…_ ”

He carefully steps out of the corpse as the combined stench the creature possesses has Nico covering her face to stop her from retching!

Despite the revolting sight and the odor, she stood there _watching_ how his clothes disappeared from his body, practically becoming melted sludge across the ground, his face scowling in pain before he wills his sword to disappear in the bright light, trotting painfully towards the cabin as his skin is left almost _nothing_ to the imagination.

 _Nico! Snap out of it!_ She wills herself to be _stronger_ and holds her breath, getting Dante’s attention. “Hey...yeah, uh…”

“I _know...hhhssss…_ ” He hisses, hopping one foot as he trudges onward, gesturing his palm up to keep her distance from him. “Censor some _parts_ for your eyes but I need... _ugh,_ that potion Kat brought with me just in case...and a shower...and _a drink._ ”

He had been unprepared. He had thought he was just here to find evidence of a curse; not the curse _literally_ fighting back! He didn’t even think to ‘Pocket’ Kat’s special potion—some _greenish liquefied orb_ thing—for easier access. Now he has to embarrassingly walk to the cabin, hoping they have an outside shower room. From looking at his skin, the acidity of that creature’s tendrils is gradually losing effect. He is left with his pants turning into a loincloth, however. He hopes Nico doesn’t see anything.

He is glad she kept her composure and helped him. There is an outside shower cubicle, complete with its own heater and replenished toiletries. Such a luxe glamping cabin, after all…

He stripped what little of his clothes and started scrubbing himself; Nico got him the potion—encased in a reused wine bottle—and his backpack, which Dante appreciates. She looks at the bottle skeptically, thinking it to be mixed with alcohol, but says nothing as he chugs down the thick, dark green contents and even splashes it on top of his head.

“Just...meet me at the front again when you’re done…” Nico tells him, clearly not in the mood to watch him bathe. It’s so obvious that this cabin was designed for a lot of... _intimate_ ideas, what with the cubicle door modestly covering the _most middle parts_ of his torso and nothing else. He can’t blame her. He finished the bottle, feeling more than refreshed, dried himself and started dressing up. He can hear voices from outside and hurried.

Going around the cabin, he finds Nico conversing with the front desk guy of GlampHeight, radioing the situation. He looks mortified at the corpse.

“Nah, no worries,” Nico assures him and gestures at Dante. “This guy took care of it. We’re devil hunters, so...well, _usually_ we get paid, but you know wha’, this was a personal matter and the whole monster-thing was _unprecedented_ , so ‘hope your manager doesn’t kick us out.”

Dante’s eyes squint at being mentioned as a devil hunter. “Uh, I’m not a devil hunter.”

Turning to him with a sly grin, she replies, “Oh c’mon! Don’t be so _humble_!”

He simply rolls his eyes and details the whole thing to the clerk, in case Nico missed any details. But it seems he’s informed about the previous tenants and does admit that Moira had been here before her latest vacation with Elza.

Whoever the clerk contacted to clean up the mess, they managed to do it _and_ had rid of the stench; although they do require an actual large transportation to deliver the body to dispose of somewhere else. So for now, they had shoved the creature’s corpse towards the forest and covered it in a white tarp sheet.

They thank the employees, while the clerk who came in informs them that the clean-up crew with the transportation will come tomorrow and that he’ll personally contact the two of them through the cabin’s phone.

“So, just to clarify, this ‘Wight’ demon appeared because of a curse?” The clerk reiterates.

“Oh yeah!” Nico energetically answers the guy and repeats the whole story to him. Listening, Dante smiles at how she rehearses the whole action with loud gestures and a twinkle in her brown eyes.

But something felt... _off._ Looking at the whole thing, he begins to question how Moira knew how to do these things and why here, of all places. He supposes this was the few chances Moira could get close to Elza and enact her petty revenge.

“Hmm, from what you’ve described,” the clerk thoughtfully tells them. “And honestly, I’m just being a nerd here, but I think this demon you described resembles a Norse zombie, the _draugr._ ”

Dante’s heart sank. He looks at the clerk...but quickly evades the guy’s eyes and looks at the ground. He’s not sure. Maybe he’s being paranoid.

Thankfully, Nico’s zesty voice puts him out of it. “Ooohh! Tha’s interestin’! Maybe you know somethin’ about tha, Dante?”

“Hm, oh, uh…” He shook his head and managed a smile. “I’ll have to call my friend about that, to clear things up. Like I said, I’m no devil hunter...nor a cryptozoologist for that matter.”

And with that, he walked away from them, with Nico shrugging the whole thing off and continuing to converse with the GlampHeight clerk, even haggling him for a discount on the food.

He summons his phone back and starts calling Kat. Thankfully, she answers after the second ring. Her fearful voice puts a smile on his face and he assures her of what happened.

“Yo, chill, Kat. Nico and I are good. Got that creature dead. Although I’m not sending pics of it. It’s...ugly. And stinky. I’m not going near it.”

_“It’s fine. I’m just glad you and Nico are okay. I’ve been frantically going to some of Phineas’ archives for any specific ritual regarding this curse, but it looks like my panic got the better of me. It’s an old Nordic rune after all, so I didn’t look too far in the archives. It’s safe to say that the curse had associated itself with a security from a Wight, a ‘draugr’.”_

“Oh, um…yeah, by the way, it’s Moira who cursed Elza.”

_“What?! Oh my god...Eugene would be devastated. I mean, I barely know Moira, but...”_

“It’s out of some kind of jealousy, or so Nico says.”

_“Well...in any case, I have a ‘prototype’ curative that could decrease Elza’s symptoms. I’m on my way to the hospital and...try to get it to her without any of the health workers noticing.”_

“Heh, I’m sure they won’t.”

_“Yes, well, regarding Moira...she must’ve not only researched this, but had been connected to someone who’s quite well practiced. And although she’s close to one of our mutuals, there’s no way I nor Phineas had confirmed any of the Nordic ritual copies handed so leniently. Whoever and wherever it is, the most obvious thing is she went to someone for it, but...we won’t know until we actually investigated her.”_

“Okay. Anyway, I still have the cursed stone. When I get back, how long will the actual antidote be made?”

_“Depends...I’m gonna need the topaz back to make it Recall what Moira did exactly and get the ingredients to counteract everything she did, undo the curse.”_

“Alright, I’ll be back tomorrow.”

_“Okay. Tell Nico I said thank you and have a good time there.”_

“Oh, she’s having fun.”

_“More than you?”_

“Well, after being impaled on an ancient Swedish zombie’s head to break its power...yeah.”

They hang up to find Nico coming up to him discussing excitedly about the discounts from the GlampHeight’s selection of restaurants she managed to haggle from the clerk. But the worried expression on Dante’s face has her immediately concerned.

“Wha’?! What’s wrong?”

The clerk approaches the two of them and Dante, out of instinct, grabs Nico’s arm and squeezes it twice. She looks up at him suspiciously, but he repeatedly squeezes her arm again, this time more discreet than before. She remains silent as the clerk politely asks, “Well, I’ll have the cafe arrange those special deals for those specific menus. They have all those pizzas that you’d—”

Dante cuts in. “Sorry. But I packed my own food and I don’t want them to waste.” He slightly tilts his head down to Nico, who was beginning to understand. “I have enough in my backpack and the ones in the cabin’s kitchen, I’m sure we’ll be able to make something up. It’s a _huge_ kitchen, after all.”

“Yeah, yeah!” Nico chimes in, to the confusion of the clerk. “Real sorry about tha’! I forgot my friend here packs a lot of protein!” She emphasizes with a friendly punch on Dante’s shoulder.

“Oh, okay, uh…” He sheepishly smiles at them both. “Well, it seems everything’s okay after all...uh, but still, there must be something I can offer you, like more snacks, or toiletries or firewood—”

“Firewood sounds great.” Dante quickly replies, to Nico’s questioning look.

“Alright.” The clerk says, leaving, still confused but otherwise content to do just that.

As they watch him walk away, Dante finally reveals the whole thing to Nico. “Look...I think the curse must’ve left behind remnants in this camp and I don’t want to risk anything. The fact we’re here makes us susceptible to it.”

“And how’d you know that?”

“It’s...just my paranoid hunch.” He watches Nico’s confused look become even more bewildered. “I brought sages as well. Kat makes me bring them, just in case.”

“You think the food can get affected by this curse?” Nico asks in disbelief.

He sighs. “I...just don’t want to end up like Elza. Without the actual countering draught, we can become potential victims. Saging can protect us.”

Nico groans at him. “You better have really good food, otherwise I’m hunting squirrels.”

The clerk returns with more firewood, surprisingly more than they expected. They trot over to him and helped in gathering the brown bags of firewood.

“Sorry, I should be assisting you guys.” The clerk tells them sheepishly as the two take each heavy bag of firewood.

“Nah, it’s no biggie!” Nico cheerfully takes one bag and hurriedly trots to the camping site. With a thud, the load smacks on the ground as Nico wipes her brow. “Okay, that _was_ heavy.”

“Are you expecting more visitors?” The clerk inquires as he studies the number of firewood he brought over.

Nico immediately covers for them, adding, “Yeah, a friend of mine might come here today or tomorrow, before check out! He might bring the grill!”

“In that case, please register your friend as a visitor,” the clerk advises. “We need to keep tabs on who comes in and out. Will your friend be bringing a vehicle inside the premises?”

It’s here Nico distracts the clerk while Dante brings a few firewood inside. Pulling his backpack open, he procures the sages and a matchbox. Going to the kitchen, he pulls out several large bowls as containers for the sage to burn; he even thought of using the fireplace to roast the sages there and let the smoke of it waft through the chimney and outside, blessing the cabin. With that, he goes to set up the fireplace sages first and lights three on it.

“Looks like you’re on to it,” Nico observes. “The GlampHeight guy’s gonna wait for me on his front desk regarding my _friend_ coming over. I’m gonna call Nero over there, through landline, and see if he’s up to makin’ it tomorrow. The guy ain't answering his phone. D’you need help before I go?”

Dante nods. “Yeah. Help me set these up on the bedrooms. I’ll set these up on the bathrooms, here in the living room and the back of the cabin.”

She eagerly picks up the items and begins setting the sages in the areas of the house, carefully putting the burning sage right on top of the bowl to contain the burning ash. As each area is lit with the sages, the hair on the back of her neck stood up as she felt a very still coldness envelop the cabin. She had felt this all before, even out on the field with demons stinking up the place or burning up with their fiery pits and snarling fangs. But never this stale; never this... _still._

“Brrr…” She shivered and she watched Dante clamber back inside the cabin, a look of cold anxiety in his face. “You good?”

He looks at her and she can see that he didn’t need to answer. There is that creeping gust that enveloped them and Nico would be remiss if she didn’t scooch closer to the guy who can summon his sword from out of nowhere. The lights they’ve turned on flickered and the soft wafting smoke of the sages moved abruptly, covering ground on places they’re not placed in. This creeping gust caressed their skin, even inside their clothes, churning their fight-or-flight adrenaline.

“Something’s happenin’...” Nico murmured, the fear in her voice putting Dante at edge. He had _had_ to use the sages...But if he didn’t, these ‘remnants’ that have stayed on the walls, on the sofa and bed Elza had laid her head to rest, and on the tiles and floorboards of this cabin, would have implanted themselves inside his and Nico’s body. And he wouldn't know how he could fix that.

“Stay with me…” He whispered to her as this creeping cold gust blew around their shoulders and past them, out to the back area of the cabin.

“Tch, yeah, no kiddin’!” She hissed back.

The cold creeping gust soon begins to form as mist around the interior of the cabin, surrounding them, hugging the walls and dropping the temperature. But the smoke of the sages is ever present and Dante has good reason the ‘remnants’ of the curse is abating. Any second now, he hopes. They watch as the coldness swells in intensity, but the smoke of the sages seem to intensify as well. And with it, the low moan of an otherworldly voice creeps in.

Nico whimpers, but she stays put. A cold sweat drips down the side of Dante's face. They listen to the moaning and the whispering...and soon the rattling of the furniture, or perhaps the entire cabin! The moaning voice remains in this disquieting note, while the cabin seems to shake, like a weak earthquake, going sideways and bouncing erratically. The otherworldly voice juxtaposes these quaking movements, as it’s weirdly soothing singing accompanies this madness. Nico held onto him and on the walls out of fear!

“Oh crap! I’m sorry, Nero!” Nico flat out shrieks! “I _did_ ‘borrow’ that favorite CD o’ yours and put it back to yo’ shelf before Kyrie could find out!”

In disbelief, Dante yells back, “You can tell him that personally! Why are you saying this?”

The moaning remains as the smoke and mist envelopes the whole cabin like a winter fog! The crawling sensation across their skin worsens as the cold temperature seeps inside their very bones! But then—

The mist tumbles out across the cabin and seeps through the thin cracks of the windows, the doors and through the open maw of the chimney, and with it, the cold and the creeping voice, exiting! The cabin clears up once again and reveals a dim, normal and highly-aesthetic GlampHeight vacation space. The lights they’ve turned on flickers back to normal, as if nothing happened. The smell of wood smoke from the sages seems fainter now.

Nico had been clinging onto his arm, her nails digging through his sleeve, her eyes wide and expecting anymore surprises. But there was only the usual cricket noise and the random bird from a different branch somewhere outside, and her ragged breathing. She glances up to him, expecting him to add anything, but he merely shrugs at her. “Well...I’ll burn some more sages at the campfire spot.”

"Wha-uh?! That's it?!"

Looking at her with incredible disbelief, Dante replies, "You don't want anymore of that, trust me."

And with that, he goes to pick up the sages around the cabin one by one, with Nico left hanging near the backdoor. Still stunned that they’re alive after that freaky show, she lets it all sink in and claps her own thighs out of delight before deciding to continue what she still needs done.

“Damn...Nero is _NOT_ gonna believe what I just went through!”

Sure enough, as she pushes the door open to the front area, she finds Dante fixing another fire with the extra firewood and the rest of his sages, it seems. She hollers at him, “Hey, yo! I’ll be goin’ to the front desk now! Are you gonna cook those food you _said_ you ‘ave? I am not starvin' in this vacation.”

Glancing at her with a wide grin, he replies with a dazzling smile, “Anything to feed you, m’lady.”

She scoffs. It appears they’re back to regular programming. “Pffuh! If we starve ‘ere, I’ll turn to cannibalism. You're m' first target!”

“Bold of you to assume I’m even human,” he retorts.

“Whatevs. Maybe I’ll call for food ou’side this cursed glamping site!” She responds grumpily. “You won’t have any, since you ain’t human!”

Nonchalantly, he merely throws the last sage on the crackling bonfire. “Yeah, sure, do that. But don’t forget how I might _slip_ about your friend’s ‘borrowed’ CD…”

Turning abruptly around, Nico makes a threatening snarling sound, pointing her index fingers at him like they’re guns, then huffs an annoyed breath as she leaves. He snickers at her leaving figure and continues the saging. Looking around the posh outside area, with its comfortable outdoor couches and a DIY hammock folded up, he glances at the deck box just behind one of the couches, curious if it had anything inside. Lifting the lid, he’s surprised to find an acoustic guitar, dusty yet quite in mint condition.

He whistles, “Well, I never thought I’d get seduced like this…”

Out in the rest of the wooded areas of the glamping site, Nico spots a few more night owls taking nighttime pictures and afternoon runners returning to their spot somewhere; the spring breeze that keeps caressing her skin and hair has her taking a lungful of it, breathing it out in relief, finally being assured this mission is a cinch and it’s time to relax! Making sure no one’s within close proximity, she twirls around and does a hop in her step, happy that Elza will be alright and the possibility of personally handing a whoop-ass on Moira is delighting her! The night is beautiful, starlit, fragrant with pine, willow and grass, the sound of people from somewhere as they have fun…

She does admit, however, that _this_ Dante is...not quite who she expected. Sure, she knew from his own friend how he used to be, but the guy has come a long way and decided to make something of himself. An artist! And as an artist herself, she can respect that.

She felt that _‘anime-esque’_ twinkle in her eyes and realized that she more than respects him...well, how can anyone ignore that sinful smile and that _body_?

 _Too bad that Wight monster got the goods first._ She chuckled at her own joke and pushed that aside as she went in, finding the clerk, busy with the other staff and some other guests coming in. After a few minutes on queue, she finally went to the front desk to inform them of Nero as a visitor and called him on their landline, as she couldn’t get a hold of him through her smartphone, noting he’s _busy_.

“Alright, thank you Ms. Goldstein.” The same clerk guy says as she waves goodbye.

The walk back was a bit darker, the night finally blanketing them. The footpaths are lit with tiny bulbs, but they’re not bright. There are a few night guards trotting about with their flashlights and they helped her find her way back. She was surprised to hear music…

She stops in her tracks, unsure to make a step, not wanting that crunching noise to intertwine with the soft and sensuous guitar, his breathy voice bringing forth a warm summer she never thought is possible. She’s never been _corny_ or romantic, skeptical of people’s descriptions especially with the whole ‘love at first-insert object of affection’ thing.

But his song, his voice, those lullaby-spun chords on that guitar across his chest as he sways slowly on the hammock he put up, one foot on the ground to rock him slow as he sings to the stars above. And she finds herself swaying along…

_Since you’ve been around_

_We’ve been living out the backseat of your car_

_Melted chocolate bars_

_A voodoo doll_

_And lost credit cards_

_Taking me out dancing_

_In a rocksteady dive_

_Twisting ‘cross the floor_

_On view master slides..._

_I have been such a happy camper_

_Forgot about my lonely home_

_I have been such a happy camper_

_Forgot about my lonely home._

As he finished the chorus, Nico did her best to trot up to his spot as quietly as she could. She didn't like interrupting him, not with a sweet melody like that.

_Since you’ve been around_

_We’ve been stealing our own tickets to see the stars_

_In the baseball park_

_Swimming after dark_

_In our neighbors yard_

_Sleeping in all day long_

_Headed for a Rocky Mountain home_

_See you in dreams tonight_

_Of Honda bikes ‘cross supernovas…_

_I have been such a happy camper_

_Forgot about my lonely home_

_I have been such a happy camper_

_Forgot about my lonely home._

She sat on the couch next to his hammock. He acknowledges her with a nod and continues to pluck the melody of the chorus.

_Happy campers_

_When we’re together_

_Like coins in a hamper_

_Life’s merry’ander..._

_Happy campers_

_When we’re together_

_Lost in the banter_

_Life’s merry’ander…_

She claps enthusiastically, smiling at him as he makes a bow with his head and flourishes a gesture with his hand. He appreciates her clapping with "thank you, I'll be here till tomorrow."

"So, was it a cover?" She asks.

"Yep. It's a good relaxing song." He answers as he sits up the hammock and studies the acoustic guitar. "A little uncared for but nothing a little _sprucing_ up. I have half a mind to take him under my wing, play some real tunes as he's supposed to."

“That’s called stealin’,” Nico says in a warning tone, but the sly grin on her face says otherwise. He chuckles and stands up from the hammock, intent to return it. She watches the wonder on his face as he studies the wooden guitar, and from his joke seemed to be made from spruce wood, a small smile on his face. He lifts the deck box’s lid and lays the instrument there, and that’s when she tells him. “Y’know, ‘been always thinkin’ about remakin’ that demon guitar, Nevan. My former _client_ had it sold to someone, but tha’ instrument was one o’ a kind! Don’t know why he’d do it, but he did. ‘Says it’s clutterin’ up his office, but still! A one o’ a kind guitar!”

With a dubious grin, he asks, “Meaning?”

“Maybe I can make a guitar. For you.” This time, she stands up with him, facing him with this enthusiastic twinkle. “Whaddya say?”

Another chuckle escapes him. “I’m a little strapped for cash.”

“It’s a gift.” She clarifies. “C’mon! One time gift offer! I don’t do this a lot! So?”

She waits with bated breath. She watches the same dubious look over his face deepen. “Why?”

She shrugs her shoulders and even gestures a hand at the stars. “Pffft, I dunno! I think when I see talent, that’s inspirin’, y’know! Although, this is a one time gift offer! Any more customizations and requests are for payment from then on!”

Still grinning, but the brooding look fading, he cocks a brow at her and says, “Deal. But I don’t need any pizzaz. Make it reliable. That’s all I need.”

 _“Yes!”_ She whoops and punches the air, making him chuckle at her.

“Alright. I’m gonna go get the meal prep I made.” He says as he heads back to the cabin. “You’re welcome to eat some, though I thought you wanted some squirrels…”

She teases by racing up against him and being at the door before him. “I’ll be a judge of that! I’ll see if I even like your lunchbox!”

She ate her own words when his backpack—which was huge, but made her question the _physics_ of it being able to hold so many things—produced _five_ packed boxes of food! They opened them to reveal cold pizzas that just needed reheating, a pleasurably guilt-inducing cheesy-seafood pasta that would make the most traditional Italians cringe, salads that aren’t actually boring and two humongous _bento_ meals!

“Oh my god!” Nico’s eyes wide and her hands wriggling in excitement, induced a loud guffaw from Dante.

“You hungry?”

Without hesitation or a reply, Nico went for the meaty bento meal and placed it on the microwave. Turning to him as the machine warmed her food, she flicked a finger at it, “Mine.”

“Be sure to finish it,” he says with a grin. “They were made fresh.”

Without any more preamble, they decided to park themselves out in the outdoor area again and eat the _bento_ meals. Accompanying their supper is a myriad of fruit smoothies the cabin’s fridge has stocked: from simple ones like apple, banana, strawberry to ‘tropical’ orange-mango-carrot, ‘clean green’ kale-brocolli-blueberry-lemon and other crazy smoothie mixes that the both of them swore the people behind this smoothie company was taking their customers’ ideas too seriously.

“I’ll have the strawberry, thanks,” he tells her as she pours him a glass with the smooth pinkish liquid. “You sure you wanna try the other sludges?”

“There’s gotta be a reason why they keep makin’ ‘em!” She proclaims as she pours the ‘clean green’ bottle to her glass. She then grabs her _bento_ box of food and excitedly plunges her fork on the top meat on its corner. “But first! We feast!”

Agreeing, they went on to dig in; but then something comes to Nico’s mind.

“Oh, right, ‘never asked what kind of Japanese set this is!” Nico exclaims and looks over to his box, comparing their _bento._

He answers whilst pointing the chopsticks provided with the _bento_ boxes on hers, “You got a _karaage_ and rice set with meatballs and a side of cabbage slices.”

“D’you make ‘em?” She asked quizzically.

Chortling with a new mouthful of food, he replies, “Nope. An old Asian woman from the neighborhood did it, to return an old favor for Kat.”

The sly and knowing chuckle from Nico implied she knew he couldn’t have done all these, but that was alright. “Cute. And yours?”

“Spicy _maki_ with _kimuchi_ -marinated _buta_ slices and sweet potatoes.” He answers before taking a bite.

Too curious, Nico offered to give some of hers in exchange of wanting what those _maki_ tasted like; and soon enough the two of them were giving reviews of the other’s food and Nico asking for that old Asian woman’s contact number so she could order more _bento_ from her.

“Look, she does it for free, but do realize she’s old,” he clarifies sternly. “She also does some of these boxes to her daughter working in an office in downtown. Not to mention having some kinda rivalry with a Greek old guy who’s selling good pasta downstairs. They’re good, but y’know, it’s just all good competition.”

Nico laughs at the idea, managing to picture two old people trying to outdo one another through food and passive-aggressively commenting on the other’s skill. “So I bet he made the cheese pasta?”

Snapping his finger at her, he says, “Bingo. And that’s for tomorrow.”

The two laughed and got back to delightfully taking a bite out the succulent meats and delicate vegetables, silently enjoying their company and the crackle of saged-campfire under a starlit sky, when Nico gently laid down her fork and sighed. That got his attention, mid-biting off the fat off the _buta_.

“I get it.” She tells him with a warm smile on her face.

Puzzled and still mid-biting, he asks, “What?”

“Why you’re reluctant about the offer,” she answers as she puts down her box.

Slowly clicking the pieces together, he doesn’t immediately say anything. She continues, “I can get it now, why you don’ wanna join Devil May Cry. You have a life, a _good one,_ actually. You have neighbors who have food competitions. You have a friend who’s highly connected to a lot of our friends because she’s good at making... _connections_ , for lack of a better term! And she’s gonna help Elza’s condition once you get her that cursed stone! And you! You have your music! _Music!_ ”

A sheepish chuckle escapes him and he sets down his own box. “Well, it’s okay, I guess. I mean, you chose yours and you’re content with it.”

“Hmp, yeah, but see, here’s the thing,” Nico starts to explain, a serious look washed over. He watches her emote what she feels is the answer and...Dante admits it’s quite heartwarming, to have someone who wants to understand. “You have all these abilities that would _demolish_ anything and anyone! And here you are, doing a stint for a bunch of mutuals you probably don’t personally know—”

“I—I met them!” Dante quickly corrects. “Like...a year ago and...okay, I know them through Kat, mostly.”

“And you’re helping them, _us,_ instead of doing your job to promote your music or somethin’ which is, I think, kinda shortsighted of you!”

“Oh c’mon,” he says defensively. “I’m ‘scouting’ for any potential live gigs in the future!”

“Yeah, real good job there!” Nico teases, in which Dante merely gives her a sour face.

“Are you done?”

She sighs. “Like, you walked away, is what I’m sayin’.”

Cocking a quizzical brow at her, he doesn’t say anything to imply she needs to elaborate.

“You...walked out of this violent life. You could’ve been one of my clients on any other way, maybe competin’ against Nero or maybe get compared to the Legendary Devil Slayer himself.”

He smirks at that one. “Which you have a fangirl-hard-on for, right?”

She snarls defensively, satisfying him, but she continues, “Whatever, look, that’s my point, okay! You’re doing something _good._ And...there are people...and even _creatures_ who want to turn around because of you.”

His expression softening, he looks away and stares at the campfire, comforted by its warm glow. “It’s just an outlet. I grew tired of it. I wanted something... _normal_ for once. Kat was being trained by this demon prophet and it clicked! She wanted to make something out of this, the magic she can produce, the insights and research of it. I wanted to do something like that, but something I can make out of with what I like. And it turns out I have an affinity for music. And...from then on, got a music and literacy course, got hired by the same tutoring agency that taught me and earning enough to pay for some expenses for my music production and rent. But I guess, every action has consequences.”

“You mean, every good action results in something just as good, if not better!” Nico chimes enthusiastically.

“Hmm,” he hums thoughtfully, but adds, “There were demons who went on to change their lives, want to assimilate and let go of what once was. I knew some of them, before I met Kat.” He chuckles to himself, “Who knew you could make something impactful with just a few amateur songs?”

“Hm, yeah…” just as ruminative, Nico agrees. “But there are still many who aren’t... _convinced._ What’re you gonna do if you encounter anyone like tha’?”

He looks at her, and with good humor, answers, “Then I know who to call for that.”

She snickers at his answer. “ _Right you are_!”

When they came back to finishing their supper, it was coupled with a few jokes, opening up certain personal things that neither want to confirm nor deny and lastly, Nico’s last request to be under the old Asian cooking woman’s good terms, in which Dante reassures.

“Although, no spiciness for me,” she tells him. “I don’t wanna be interrupted by a sudden bathroom break durin’ a mission.”

“Hm, _sure_ ,” Dante replies. “I’ll buy her some Carolina Reapers. We’ll get a kick out of making curry.”

“You _better not!_ ” Nico exclaims and punches his back, resulting in him laughing at her and trying to evade her boots as she kicks at his shins.

After setting down their finished boxes, Nico and Dante toast their glasses of smoothies before downing them in one fell swoop. Burping and overall satisfied, Nico suddenly stands up and fishes something inside the collar of her clothes. The topaz.

“Here,” she hands the gem to him. “‘Forgot to give it to ya!”

“Thanks.” As he takes it, he shoves the gem inside the pocket dimension, illuminating the palm of his hand and disappears.

“Y’know, Nero’s not the type of guy to waste his time here, which is a shame.” She comments.

“Guess that means I’ll finally have the place for myself, even for a few hours.” He remarks.

Not wanting to be one-upped, Nico folds her arms and adds, “Guess ya’ll miss me! Don’t say you won’t!”

“How am I gonna miss someone I’ll see in one of my concerts, at front row, no less?”

“Pfft! Fine you got this one!” And storms off with her finished _bento_ box and drinking glass.

After clearing the table and putting everything in the sink, Dante offers to do it and that he’ll be staying up later to watch over the saging campfire. Nico goes on to take a bath; she was a bit skeptical at first, not wanting to be caught by a supernatural occurrence with her pants down. But she relents and finds herself relaxed after a long and crazy afternoon.

When she opens the door, bathrobe on and polishing her glasses to make it clearer, she sees him outside dousing the campfire. He doesn't immediately turn inside; he observes the embers and even looks up at the grey smoke lingering above. She muses he wants to be sure about the saging effects. Deciding to get herself some water first, she hears his casual steps come up to the cabin, finally sighing in relief..

She drinks her tall glass of water as he absentmindedly goes to the other bathroom to wash his hands. She notices he had taken off the jacket he wore and reveals a tank top, showing off his athletic biceps and quite a strong and tall neck. Sneaking just two meters away from the open bathroom door of where he washes his hands, she peeks at his figure busy washing his face, lowered at the sink. Because of the way he’s positioned, his posterior faces her. The denim, although not tight, clings onto the round shape of it, as well as on the long legs that makes itself a strong foundation for such a body.

The moment he languidly lifted his head up was when she quickly went back to the kitchen counter and pretended to wash the drinking glass. Her damp hair is still wrapped in a towel, but she can probably make it work…

Dante does find himself more refreshed after that but he has to admit that the creak in his joints and the weight deep in his bones really signal he’s tired. There’s only the sofa now, inviting him to finally turn in. He ignored Nico, knowing she’s probably going to her bed soon. Not even going around the length of the head rest, Dante simply rolls on top of it and lands softly on its cushions, his eyes about to close as he wiggles his feet off his boots. He takes a deep breath as his feet finally rests along with him. The dim living room area is helping him to drift off. He can worry about everything else when he wakes up…

“Aw, sleepy.” Nico whispers as he hears her padded footsteps come close. He opens his eyes and sees her in a bathrobe and unraveling the towel on her head, freeing her long dark hair and cascading down her shoulders. He groans.

“Yes...please tell them to me tomorrow.” He pleads. He doesn’t get reprieve, however, when her towel lands on his face. He finally sits up, annoyed. But she giggles and he watches her fingers smooth and toy around the sash of her robe. A thought occurs to him!

“But the night’s young,” She whispers playfully, languidly turning away and sashays her hips as she goes. “And the _bed_ where I’m sleepin’’s pretty big. I think you’ll be more... _comfortable_ there.”

She gives him a look he’s all too familiar with. Sleep is gone from his system. He stands up and follows Nico to her bedroom, all the while she’s loosening the collar of her robes, showing off her shoulders to him. She simpers and beckons him to come closer, and when he does, he wraps his arms around her waist and gives her a light kiss before parting away.

“Don’t hold back now,” Nico tells him as she places her hands on his shoulders.

He shakes his head and gently cups her chin. “So...what’re we now?”

A pink tinge across her face, Nico’s smile becomes warmer. She even licks her lips, realizing the depth of the question. “Do you want somethin’ outta this?”

“I try to make things simple,” he answers. “If we’re just gonna fuck, that’s all okay for me.”

"I agree." She murmurs as she caresses the shell of his ears. "Is it okay if I let that sink in for tomorrow? I'll be frank, I do wanna fuck you."

The smile he gives is amusing and adorable, and replies to her with a kiss, this time searingly deeper. His hands dipped tightly on her robed figure, his lips open to take her in and let their tongues just play at each other.

The smacking sound of hungry lips gives way to groans she never thought she could make. She's kissed girls and boys before…

But never like _this._

It wasn't just enjoyable to her anymore. She became impatient. She was clawing and gripping his clothes, his tank top and even pants! All the while Nico's hands roamed, his lips explored away from hers and kissed her cheeks, the side of her mouth and even jawline. He presses his face and smells the fresh and soft skin of hers. He finally relents and lets her tug up the tank top off his body, then let her hands yank open the fly of his pants.

"Don't worry," he soothes, although the rasp in his voice reveals how excited he is. "Night's young."

She simpers and licks her lips as he steps off his pants after she tosses his top away; she looks him over with a sly glaze in her lustful face. Dante merely shrugs and opens his arms for her to take him, his one brow quirked. She giggled. She goes to embrace him and proceeds to direct his hands on her robed figure, letting him disrobe her.

As he slides the fabric down and loosens the knot, he grins at her athletic body and the myriad of colorful tattoos inked on places he is _sure_ he'll be going, too.

"I've made up my mind." She tells him and kisses his cheek.

A dubious frown across his face made her confused. "What?"

"You sure?" He asks her. "We...don't really know much about the other."

Nico grins again and lovingly places her cheek on his chest. "We've started a while ago. We can just keep getting to know each other."

The concern on his face slowly lifts away and his embrace tightens again.

The night grew older and the two lovers exhausted the cabin's supply of condoms (there were only 3 anyway…), but it seemed they'd reached their limit. Dante is content and, admits to himself, has been a while since he's been with someone on their bed. And from the way she's lying and panting still, it's safe to say she's admitting to throw her towel.

They cleaned up, kissed a few more and he relents to her embrace in wanting him to stay in her bed. They decided to be nude and let the duvet cover them with warmth. She whispers about wanting to see him again. He murmurs back about a date, which she giggles at and tells him she'll be there. They talk a little more about his concert, about her guitar project and how she'll need to confess about Nero's CD. She eventually sleeps, her cheek on his chest.

The only bad thing he can think of was how he broke his promise in maintaining his professionalism.


End file.
